Electromagnetic switch.



A. S. CUBITT.

ELEGTROMAGNBTIG SWITCH.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Inventor'. '.{Irchibaid Subitt,

1,071,886. rF/Qg. Z.

f Witne-sse-S:

me C?. M j- W.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

ARCHIBALD S. CUBI'IT, OF RUGBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENRAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

Original application filed May l16, 191D, Serial No. 561,682. Divided and this application filed Qctoher 21,

1911. serial No. 656,005.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1, ARCHIBALD S. Cunrrr, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Rugby, England, have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements in lllectromagnetic Switches, (division of my prior application, Serial No. 561,632, tiled May 16, 1910,) ot which the follm ingI is a specification.

My invention relates to electromagnetic switches or relays for controllinge electric circuits and has for its objectl the provision oi an improved device of this character in which a retarding etlect is produced upon the Contact member so as to cause a definiteV time interval between operations of the device controlled thereby.

My present application is a division of my previous application ,Serial No. 561,682. In said previous application 1 have described and claimed a system of motor control cmbodying a. plurality of electromagnetically controlled switches or contactors arranged for operation in succession to cut out section by section of resistance interposed in the motor circuit on starting. ln the said tcm there is employed ay form ot' relay distinguished by certain features hereinafter pointed out. The present application covers the relay shown and described in the said application, and while this type of relay is adapted for use in the said control system 1 do not wish to lie-limited to this particular use, since it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that my invention. may be einployed in other linds of electrical apparatus.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved form of relay; Fig. 2 is a sectional View gf the same; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view s rowing the relay just after the movable member has been raised; and Fig; 1 is a. similar View showing' the position of the parts of the relay a certain time after the raising of the core.

Referring to the drawings, the parts of the relay are shown as mounted upon a backboard 10 of suitable material such as slate. The field frame of the relay is shown at 11 and within this frame is mounted a coil 12 which, when energized, furnishes the magnetic field into which the core of the relay moves. The core of magnetic material is shown at 14 as inclosed in a to escape freely from belowA the piston to the space above the same but retards the liow of air in the opposite direction. The bottom of the-tube 15 is lill 'l by a plug 2O from which a krod 21 extends downwardly. 0n this rod is carried a Contact disk 22 of welllmown form. The Contact disk is slidable upon the rod 21 and is yieldingly held against the nuts 23 by the spring 21 which at its lower end rests upon a collar 25 secured to the rod 21. The hole in the magnet frame and the actuating coil in which the tube 15 moves is lined with the brass tn'be 27, supported as shown on the removable washer 28 secured to the bottom of the frame 11 by the screws 29, this tube 27 having 'ses cured to it at its upper end an iron tube 30 arranged as shown. Another iron tube 31, the position of which may be adjusted in the' top leg olT the field frame 11, projects downwardly toward the tube 30. By adjusting l the position of the tube 31 with reference to the tube the 4air gap between these moy be regulated and the magnetic eilqect of the coil 12 on the core 14 at a. certain current may be adjusted. -The core 141 may be tapered atits upper end, as Shown, and when so constructed will allow the core to beheld in its raised position at different points by the same current in the actuating coil. This particular construction of magnetic field structure andcore is, however, no part of my invention but is covered in a copendinfr application in the name'of uofenc R. Caricho', Serial No. 504,321, filed fune 25, 1909, and assigned to the same assignee as this application.

The operation of--the relay as thus de' ,scribed isgas follows: When thecoil 12 isv energized the core 14 is attracted upward and in rising carrieswith it the shell 15 owing to the dash-pot connection between the core and said shell. Fig. 3 shows the core in its raised position "and the shell in the position in which it is just after the core has pulledlup; the Contact disk 22 has been.

raised into engagement with its coperating fixed contacts and the spring 24 beneath the disk has been put under compression. Immediately after.. he core has moved to its upper position, theshell 15 and the parts carried thereby 'begin to drop under the retarding effect of the dash-pot, this movement being induced both by gravity and by the expansion of the spring 24. The falling of the shell 15 may continue until the dis 22 drops out of engagement with\ its cooperating fixed contacts, and if the energization of the magnet co1 12 is dependent upon the circuit through these contacts said coil may be denergized when .the shell 15 reaches the position shown 1n Fig. 4 and the core 14 may drop, thereby returning the relay parts to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and '2. The valve in the` piston of the dashpot of course allows air to escape freely from below the piston to above'it and permits the core to drop freely within the shell when it is released bylthe denergization of the magnetizing coi It will be seen that I have provided n. relay construction which is particularly de'- sirable and eicient. It is entirely inclosed and therefore no dirt or moisture can therefore enter it to interfere with its pro r operaton.- The arran ement is extreme simple and the desire result is obtaine in a veweliable manner.

ile I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form for purposes of illustration it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invenas shown in Fi 4,

tion, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims. l

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the lUnited States, is,- l. A relay comprising an electromagnet, a magnetic member and a non-magnetic member movable in the field of the magnet, a dash-potl connection between said members, and switch contacts carried by the nonmagnetic member. v

2. A relay comprising an electromagnet core of magnetic materlal movable in the field thereof, a movable shell surrounding said core, a dash-pot connection between said shell and said core, and switch contacts controlled by said shell in its movement.

3. A relay comprising an electromagnet, a core of magnetic material movable 1n the field thereof, a movable shell in which said core is arranged for movement, a dash-pot connection between said core and said shell whereby the erence to the other is retarded in one direction, and switch contacts controlled by said shell in its movement.

4. A relay comprising an electromagnet, a core of magnetic material movable 1n the field thereof, a movable shell loosely surrounding said core, a dash-pot cylinder connected to said shell, a piston connected to said core and movable in said cylinder, a valve in said piston, and switch contacts con trolled by said shell in its movement.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of October, 1911.

FREDERICK J. Snom, O. J. WORTH.

Copies this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washngtom). C.

movement of the one with ref- 

